Global Community Connections, co-founded by student-entrepreneur Noah Benz is exploring the boundaries of how artificial intelligence can be used as a tool for empowerment rather than a perceived cause for concern. The organization is developing an all-in-one educational portal designed to be accessible worldwide, bridging continents and providing free business classes for teens and youth. The portal aims to provide early exposure to business basics serve and a catalyst for future productivity.
Benz is leading the effort to develop a business education Virtual Reality (VR) portal, which combines a passion for learning with the latest technology. This platform will provide access to on-demand internships, virtual library tours worldwide, virtual forums, and educational workshops. Together with co-founder Dylan Popo, Global Community Connections is set to revolutionize education. Specifically, the new offering will use Artificial Intelligence to personalize user experiences, offering detailed feedback and engaging virtual assistants.
The new educational portal will employ matching algorithms to help connect teens with potential mentors and explore business and charitable internship opportunities, starting in high school. It will also include a "Teen Maker Space" to learn the basics of how to write a resume, start a LinkedIn profile, and create a personal website, all in one place. The goal is to ensure the portal is widely accessible, at a free or nominal cost and ensure all students can access it including those in remote areas.
Co-founder Benz has been running his own businesses since the age of 12, and at 16, he published his first book: “Unlocking Potential: A Teen’s Guide to Leadership and Business”. For several years, he worked on educational initiatives, creating and managing free summer and after-school programs for children and teenagers, aiming to keep them engaged in learning and away from the streets which led to the creation of Global Community Connections.
Benz shared, "One of the early groups of middle schoolers we hosted at an educational workshops tried their hand at developing cool, new products. They came up with everything from flying cars resembling ‘Batman mobiles’ to bakeries selling gluten-free energy fruit bars that came with a game on their cover and an opportunity to win 1 million dollars.” Inspired by this feedback and enthusiasm, the organization committed to giving half of the profits from his early business endeavors to children's hospitals as well as reinvested in education initiatives.
Another important initiative Global Community Connections is focused on is to bring business knowledge directly to high schools in the US and globally through the establishment of SchoolXConnect forums. This platform will create opportunities for sharing resources and learning from participating teens, researchers, and business leaders. It aims to cultivate a lively business community and promote knowledge exchange in schools, facilitating global outreach and connections that can benefit teens in multiple ways.
The benefits are mutual, not only for teens but also for businesses and corporations, offering them an opportunity to gain insights into Gen Z: their aspirations, interests, and dreams.